Bin heater system

ABSTRACT

A bin heater system for aggregate bins and the like having inclined wall hoppers comprising a closed, recirculating hot air system for passage through jackets on the hoppers in which the heated, working air is maintained separate from flue gas eminating from an oil burning primary fire tube, the primary fire tube having a plurality of axially extending, radial fins projecting into a concentric, working air heating tube connected to the hopper jackets through manifolds; and a flue gas conduit passing through each bin discharging flue gases to the atmosphere outside of the bins.

D United States Patent [151 3, Martin 1 May 2, 1972 s41 BIN HEATER SYSTEM FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [72] In Charles Martin, n, NJ. 614,578 12/1948 Great Britain ..126/343.5 A

[73] Assi nee: lnfern-O-Therrn Co ration Ke ort,

8 NJ. yp Primary Examiner-CharlesJ. Myhre Attorney-Popper, Bain, Bobis & Gilfillan [22] Filed: Feb. 25, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 13,995 [57] ABSTRACT A bin heater system for aggregate bins and the like having [52] U.S. Cl. ..l26/343.5 A inclined wall hoppers comprising a Cl recirculating hot [51 air system for passage through jackets on the hoppers in which [58] Field of Search ..l26/343.5, 343.5 A, 110 the heated, working air is maintained separate from flue gas eminating from an oil burning primary fire tube the primary [56] Relerences cued fire tube having a lurality of axially extending, radial fins ro- P P UNITED STATES PATENTS jecting into a concentric, working air heating tube connected to the hopper jackets through manifolds; and a flue gas con- 1,139,423 5/1915 Kinney ..l26/343.5 A UX duit passing through each bin discharging flue gases to th 1,252,376 1/1918 Merrill 1 26/3435 A UX mosphere outside ofthe bins. 2,645,278 7/1953 Holthouse, Sr. et a1 ..l26/11O X 3,182,859 5/1965 Harris et a1 ..l26/343.5 A X 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Patented May 2, 1972 4 Sheets-Sheet l R. ow: M m w V K i our A b H c 0 Y B ATTORNEY Patented May 2, 1972 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 N QE INVENTOR. CHARLES K. MARTIN BY P ATTORNEY Patented May 2, 1972 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 3

ATTORNEY Patented May 2, 1972 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 4

INVENTOR. CHARLES K. MARTIN 52, $3M

ATTORNEY BIN HEATER SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF INVENTION The usual aggregate bin comprises a vertical-walled bin section with an inclined wall hopper located there beneath. Bins are normally arranged in rows in which the bins are supported on upstanding legs.

The bins almost invariably are exposed to the elements and ambient temperature. As a result, during subfreezing weather, aggregate and like material stored in the bin tends to freeze causing sufificient agglomeration of the aggregate to prevent free discharge through the discharge chute in the bottom of the hopper.

It is not feasible to pass steam through the aggregate since condensed steam thoroughly soaks the mass. This is undesirable under the best of conditions and under given conditions is absolutely unacceptable.

On the other hand, if dry, flue gases from a heat generator are passed through the aggregate, contamination results which is equally as unacceptable as steam soaking.

Generally speaking, the bins are active on a more or less continuous basis with material being discharged from the hopper and new material being added to the top of the bin. It is unusual for a bin to be totally inactive for weeks or months at a time so that a deep freeze occurs.

Therefore, all that is necessary in order to maintain free flow of the aggregate in the bin and hopper is to overcome a light freeze or frost condition. In addition, the temperature of the aggregate need be raised only to an increment above the freezing point of water.

As a result, relatively small quantities of heat are necessary in order to maintain a free flowing condition. Such heat may be generated by jackets on the hoppers through which a heating medium is circulated. The heat rises from the surface of the hoppers through the mass of the aggregate effectively eliminating the light freeze or frost condition.

It has been found that heated air is the most suitable and most easily handled heating medium. Therefore, it is among the objects and advantages of the bin heater system described and claimed herein to provide a heat generator for heating clean, recirculating hot air in a closed system to jackets on the inclined walls of the hopper on each bin.

It is also an object of the present invention to maintain flue gases emitting from the heat generator separate and distinct from the heated, circulating working air so as to avoid soot or other build up inside of the jackets of the hoppers or inside of other circulating conduits.

A further object of the present invention is to insure maximum heat utilization as well as extremely low, relatively contamination free flue stack emissions by passing the flue gases through a conduit extending through the mass of aggregates in each bin discharging to the atmosphere outside of the aggregate so as to guaranty no aggregate contamination.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION b. A bin heater system for bins having jacketed hoppers for a circulating heating medium comprising a primary fire tube having heat generating means, a circulating heated, working air heating tube generally concentric with the primary fire tube having an inlet side and an outlet side, and conduit means connecting both the inlet and outlet sides to the heating tube with the jackets.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF INVENTION The objects and advantages aforesaid as well as other objects and advantages may be achieved by the bin heater system claimed herein, a preferred embodiment of which is illustrated in the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a row of contiguous bins provided with the heating system;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the bins and heating system illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of bins and heating system illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a partially broken away view in perspective of the primary fire tube and concentric heated working air heating tube.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the bin heater system comprising a plurality of bins 11 arranged in a row each having an inclined wall bottom hopper 12. The bins 11 are supported above the ground by spaced aparts legs 13, 13. Each of the hoppers 12 is provided with a hot air circulating jacket 14. Otherwise, the bins 11 and hoppers 12 are of well known construction and need not be detailed further.

The bin 11 at one end of the row is provided with a horizontal cat walk 15 supporting heat generating means 16. The heat generating means 16 are illustrated in greater detail in FIG. 4 and comprise a primary fire tube 17 having an oil burning, flame generator 18 at one end thereof. The primary fire tube 17 is provded with a plurality of axially extending, radial radiation fins, 19,19. A heated, working air circulating or heating tube 20 is mounted concentrically on the primary fire tube 17.

The circulating, heated, working air heating tube 20 is connected to a plenum 21 at its end opposite the flame generator 18. The plenum 21 extends horizontally along the end of the end bin 11 at right angles to the primary fire tube 17 and is connected at its opposite end to a heated air supply manifold 22. The heated air supply manifold 22 extends downwardly to and then along the side walls of the respective hoppers 12 on bins 11. The supply manifold 22 is connected to each of the jackets 14 on the hoppers 12 by appropriate inlet conduits 23. The jackets 14 are each provided with bafiles 24 to insure thorough circulation of the heated air through the jackets to appropriate outlet conduits 25.

The outlet conduits 25 are connected to a used, working air return manifold 26 extending along the sides of the hoppers 12 opposite the supply manifold 22 terminating in a return air riser 27. The return air riser 27 is connected to the circulating, heated, working air heating tube 20 at the end adjacent to the flame generator 18. An air compressor 28 is positioned in the end of the riser 27 adjacent to the primary fire tube 17 to insure efi'lcient circulation by forced means.

One of the objects of the bin heater system is to insure complete separation of flue gases emitting from the flame generator 18 from the working air circulation system. This is accomplished by connecting the primary fire tube 17 at the end opposite the flame generator 18 to a transverse flue manifold 29 extending axially down the center of the heated working air plenum 21. The flue manifold 29 connects at the end opposite the primary fire tube 17 to one of a pair of flue gas conduits 30, the other flue gas conduit 31 connecting to the flue manifold 29 intermediate its ends. Each of the flue gas conduits 30 and 31 extend transversely through the bins 11 passing through the aggregate mass and passing through the end wall 32 of the last bin 11. Each of the flue gas conduits 30 and 31 is provided with a vertical stack, respectively 33 and 34 extending slightly above the top of the bins 11 to insure against flue gas contamination of the aggregate contained therein.

In operation, the heat generator 18 is fired blasting a sheet of flame downwardly through at least a portion of the primary fire tube 17. Of course, appropriate refractory material is employed to insure against flame engagement with the walls of the primary fire tube. Nevertheless, the internal construction of the primary fire tube 17 and the oil burning flame generator 18 is well known and understood and need be detailed no further.

The primary fire tube 17 radiates heat through its walls and through its radiating fins 19 into the air passing through the circulating, heated, working air heating tube 20. The fan or compressor 28 forces air through tube 20 over the fins 19 and fire tube 17 insuring rapid intense heating. The air then passes into the plenum 21 to the supply manifold 22 and from thence through inlet conduits 23 to the hopper jackets 14. Of course, the heating tube 20, plenum 21, supply manifold 22 and inlet conduits 23 may be appropriately lagged to retard heat loss.

The internal walls of the hoppers 12 are intensely heated by the hot air thawing the aggregate therein and generating convention currents through the mass of aggregate in the bins 1 1. Thus, the entire mass of aggregate in the bin is efficiently warmed to a temperature at least incrementally above that of the freezing point of water. It has been found that the aggregate adjacent to the walls of the hoppers 12 is heated sufificiently to generate steam from the light freeze or frost condition experienced adjacent to the wall sending it upwardly through the mass of aggregate in the bins 11.

The cooled reject air passes from the jackets 14 on the hoppers 12 through outlet conduits 25 to a return manifold 26. In order to maximize efficiency, the return air is passed through a riser 27 to the heating tube 20 for regeneration. Thus, the circulating working air system is entirely closed.

The foregoing description is merely intended to illustrate an embodiment of the invention. The component parts have been shown and described. They each may have substitutes which may perfonn a substantially similar function; such substitutes may be known as proper substitutes for the said components and may have actually been known or invented before the present invention.

I claim:

1. A bin heater system comprising:

a. a bin; a hopper on the bottom of the bin;

c. a hollow jacket on the hopper;

d. inlet and outlet means communicating with the jacket;

e. a closed, working air circulating conduit connected at one end to the inlet means and at the opposite end to the outlet means;

f. a primary fire tube in the working air conduit extending generally coaxially therewith intermediate the inlet and outlet means;

g. an internal flue gas conduit in the working air conduit connected to the end of the fire tube and extending generally coaxial therewith in the direction of the inlet means;

h. heat generating combustion means connected to the openeposite end of the primary fire tube;

i. a flue gas discharge conduit connected to the end of the internal flue gas conduit opposite the combustion means extending through the side of the working air conduit,

j. the circulating working air being separated from the flue gases.

2. A bin heater system comprising:

a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 in which,

b. the flue gas discharge conduit extends through the hopper terminating outside of the hopper.

3. A bin heater system comprising:

a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 and b. make-up air means connected to the combustion means,

c. the make-up air being separated from the circulating working air.

4. A bin heater comprising:

a. the structure in accordance with claim 3 in which b. the flue gas discharge conduit extends through the hopper terminating outside of the hopper.

5. A bin heater system comprising:

a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 and b. a plurality of bins contiguous to each other in a row;

c. an inlet manifold extending along the hoppers of the bins on one side of the row and connected to the respective inlet means;

d. an outlet manifold extending along the hoppers of the bins on the opposite side of the rows and connected to the respective outlet means;

e. the said inlet and outlet manifold each being a part of the working air circulating conduit;

f. the flue gas discharge conduit extending through hoppers generally parallel to the inlet and outlet manifolds;

g. make-up air means connected to the combustion means;

h. the make-up air being separate from the circulating working air. 

1. A bin heater system comprising: a. a bin; a hopper on the bottom of the bin; c. a hollow jacket on the hopper; d. inlet and outlet means communicating with the jacket; e. a closed, working air circulating conduit connected at one end to the inlet means and at the opposite end to the outlet means; f. a primary fire tube in the working air conduit extending generally coaxially therewith intermediate the inlet and outlet means; g. an internal flue gas conduit in the working air conduit connected to the end of the fire tube and extending generally coaxial therewith in the direction of the inlet means; h. heat generating combustion means connected to the opposite end of the primary fire tube; i. a flue gas discharge conduit connected to the end of the internal flue gas conduit opposite the combustion means extending through the side of the working air conduit, j. the circulating working air being separated from the flue gases.
 2. A bin heater system comprising: a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 in which, b. the flue gas discharge conduit extends through the hopper terminating outside of the hopper.
 3. A bin heater system comprising: a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 and b. make-up air means connected to the combustion means, c. the make-up air being separated from the circulating working air.
 4. A bin heater comprising: a. the structure in accordance with claim 3 in which b. the flue gas discharge conduit extends through the hopper tErminating outside of the hopper.
 5. A bin heater system comprising: a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 and b. a plurality of bins contiguous to each other in a row; c. an inlet manifold extending along the hoppers of the bins on one side of the row and connected to the respective inlet means; d. an outlet manifold extending along the hoppers of the bins on the opposite side of the rows and connected to the respective outlet means; e. the said inlet and outlet manifold each being a part of the working air circulating conduit; f. the flue gas discharge conduit extending through hoppers generally parallel to the inlet and outlet manifolds; g. make-up air means connected to the combustion means; h. the make-up air being separate from the circulating working air. 